Agent Afloat
by jibbsloversunited
Summary: Erm ... no. It's not a story about Tony. Although he will be in it. It's the fourth story in the AU Jibbs series.
1. Authors' note

**Authors' Note:**

We had so much fun writing _**Lover's Leap**_ that we have decided to dive straight into our next collaboration immediately.

In writing together we also discovered that there's much fun to be had borrowing dialogue from the show and manipulating it. So lets play a game. We'll all it '_**spot the quote**_'. Of course the contexts will be different - but that's the fun of AU.

We should point out that the team is split up here. Why really isn't important – we're just going with the fact that they are. In fact it is likely that only Tony will appear in this story.

The bottom line is the same for this fourth story in the series – Jen and Jethro never worked together. in this particular story Jen doesn't work for NCIS at all, in fact.

So ... enjoy.

We look forward to hearing from you.

V and E


	2. Chapter One

Leroy Jethro Gibbs drifted aimlessly, his thoughts a jumble. The fact that it had happened was hard enough to swallow; the fact that it had happened when his attention had been engaged elsewhere just compounded things. He'd been in MTAC for a few hours – overseeing a complex op _in lieu_ of the Director. He'd left the team to file paperwork on a case that they'd supposedly wrapped up that morning Only they'd picked up the wrong perp. The fall guy. The stooge. Leaving the real perp on the streets to go after Ducky.

He'd been attacked as he'd stepped into his Morgan. On NCIS property no less. And it was only the quick actions of an agent who happened to be going to his car at the same time that had saved Ducky's life. And ended the perp's.

It had been a long struggle, but Ducky had made it. Three long days and nights at the hospital had taken its toll on Gibbs, and he hadn't left his old friend's side until the old friend himself was awake long enough to tell him to go home and get some rest because he was disturbing _his_. So Gibbs had gone. But not home.

Only now that the medical examiner was in the clear did he allow himself to feel the real fear of what might have been if Ducky had been lost as well.

And it paralysed him.

Bright lights drew his gaze upwards, and he almost chuckled.

_Rock Bottom._

It seemed to be the perfect expression of how he was feeling, and without much thought beyond the fact that he felt he might fancy a strong drink, he opened the door and went inside. Satisfied that there was nobody he knew, he settled himself at the bar and ordered a drink.

One. And then two. And then three. And four. Five.

He thought of Ducky. Of their friendship. He thought of McGee, of Ziva. Even of Tony. He tried not to let his thoughts dwell on his past – but invariably they settled where he knew they would. On the emptiness.

He ordered his sixth drink and sent it down the hatch smoothly. So smoothly that he couldn't feel the burn anymore.

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

He lifted his head from his glass and stared at the bartender, fully intending to state his case and tell the barman exactly what he thought about him thinking _anything_, let alone whether he' had enough to drink. Because he hadn't, and he sure as hell had no intention of stopping.

The barman, however, wasn't looking at him. Gibbs' eyes focused slowly on the mirror behind the bar and the flash of red hair that shook as the owner vehemently shook her head.

"No .. I haven't. I've barely begun."

The voice was strong and definite, and Gibbs turned to look at its owner. She, in turn, looked sideways at him, rolling her eyes dramatically when the barman stalked off mumbling curses about drunk women under his breath.

"How rude" she slurred.

Gibbs stared into his glass and saw the bottom drawing closer. A situation that needed to be remedied. He signalled to the bartender who sighed and filled up his glass again.

It didn't slip past Gibbs that it wasn't a full measure.

"You know what else is rude?" asked his neighbour.

He looked at her questioningly, admiring how her red hair curled over her shoulders

"Coming home after a week away to find your husband in an empty ICU hospital bed with the head nurse. _That's_ rude" she stated, throwing back the last of her drink and slamming her glass down. "Give me another drink" she said to the bartender.

When he stared at her she opened her bag and placed her car keys on the table.

"I promise I won't drive. Now give me another drink."

The barman faltered for a second and then refilled her glass.

"This is the last one, lady" he said. "Make it last."

"Ever been married?" she asked him as he filled up her glass. "I _don't _recommend it."

"Me neither" Gibbs added.

"You too, huh? I walked into Bethesda this evening. Dressed to the nines" she said, indicating her attire. "Thinking I would surprise my husband with dinner. Well ... it seems he'd already skipped to dessert."

"I can do you one better" Gibbs said. "I came home from a six month float in the Med and and found one of my ex wives in bed with another man."

"_One_ of your ex wives?" she asked - looking at him with her green eyes slightly out of focus. "How many have you had?"

Gibbs shrugged.

"A few."

"Define _a few_."

"Three" he answered, staring back into his glass.

"Three? You're braver than I am." She replied in awe, turning in her seat, angling herself towards him. "I was married to the same man for fifteen years."

She shook her head as if to berate herself, and then turned back to Gibbs.

"Did you ever betray one of your many significant others?" she asked, turning slightly more towards him and crossing one long leg over the other.

He arched an eyebrow and ignored the comment about his _many_ wives.

"No. Have you?"

"Have you ever wanted to?" she asked, ignoring his question and leaning her face on her hand.

Gibbs felt a sudden unbidden urge to touch her. So instead he asked the bartender for a double.

"Have _you_?" he countered as he waited.

She leant forward slightly.

"Not until now" she said, completely mesmerised by his blue eyes. "You have pretty eyes."

Gibbs looked down almost self-consciously.

"I bet women tell you that all the time" she said, taking a long swallow from her drink and scrunching up her face. "You watered it down" she spat at the bartender in disgust.

Gibbs looked at her for a moment. Then he reached for her glass and dumped half of his bourbon into her glass.

"That was sweet" she said. "Not necessarily sanitary ..."

She trailed off, captured by the blue again.

"I sleep naked" she said suddenly, her words a little slurred.

Gibbs let out a small laugh.

"Is there an invitation in there somewhere?"

"Do you want there to be?"

She smiled lazily and before he could help himself he reached forward and tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear.

She regarded him suspiciously for a moment.

"You don't have some weird hair fetish do you?" she asked as she tried to ignore the feeling his fingers had left on her skin.

"I've always liked red hair on women" was all he said.

"Known many redheads?" she asked.

"A few" he said with a small smile.

When he went back to his drink and didn't say anything further she got to her feet. "I have to go to bed. I'd like to say it's been a pleasure .. but you haven't really ..."

She trailed off as she thought better of what she had been about to say. When he persisted in remaining silent she fumbled in her purse, pulled out a large handful of notes and threw them on the bar.

"For both our tabs" she said to the barman. "And nothing for you – because you're just mean! I'll see you around" she said to Gibbs, stumbling slightly as she turned and walked out.

Gibbs remained on the bar stool arguing with himself about whether he should follow her. Just to make sure she got back to wherever she was heading. Of course. He downed the rest of his drink and stood up, signalling to the bartender that he was leaving. He didn't miss the look of relief that passed across the young man's face. He made it outside in time to see her rounding the corner. His mind made up, he followed. If she was going to walk alone at midnight, then the gentleman in him was going to make sure she got home in one piece. It seemed the only decent thing to do.

She wandered slowly and unsteadily along the pavement, ignoring looks from numerous men that she passed. Gibbs hung back, not wanting to alert her to his presence. She stopped fifteen minutes later. Outside a smart hotel that Gibbs would never have aspired to had he been in the market for a room.

The redhead paused on the steps.

"So .. " she said, turning around and a flashing a brilliant smile at him. "Since you've been staring at my ass for the last fifteen minutes .. wanna come up and stare at it for real?"

He stared at her. Amused that she had known he was there the whole time, and a little shocked to discover that he was tempted by her invitation.

"I can sweeten the deal" she said alluringly "There's bourbon in the bar. In my room" she qualified.

Gibbs contemplated the situation. It was late, he had had rather a lot to drink, what she was offering he wanted. But taking advantage of a woman who had just found that her husband was cheating on her was not the sort of thing he did.

"You have until the elevator door closes to make up your mind" she said as she tossed him a look over her shoulder and walked into the hotel.


	3. Chapter Two

_A/N: There is more than one quote in this chapter to spot...enjoy. _

* * *

Gibbs opened his eyes slowly. His head wasn't pounding as it might have been. He sat up tentatively, just in case it hadn't hit him, but he was fine. He stood up and pulled on some sweats - trying to decide whether he wanted to work on the boat before heading out to see Ducky.

His mind wandered back to the previous evening as he walked into the kitchen. It had taken every ounce of strength he had not to follow the redheaded stranger up to her hotel room and lose himself in her. But he'd stood still and watching through the front doors as the elevator closed.

He ran a hand through his hair resisted the urge to give himself a slap. He could have done with the comfort – and ostensibly so could she. But there was no going back now. He'd made his decision and she hadn't waited around.

The smell of freshly brewing coffee filled the kitchen, as did sunlight, and he closed his eyes - his mind stuck on an endless loop of _you have until the elevator doors close to make up your mind_. Every particle of his body had been screaming at him to move, to follow her. But his mind, the rational part of him, had been louder. He swallowed down scalding coffee and made his way to the shower, hoping that a cold one would erase the feeling of the woman's hair from between his fingers. For a brief moment he wondered what it would have smelled of.

"You look like you had an interesting night last night, Jethro."

Ducky was looking more like his old self when Gibbs walked into his hospital room a while later.

He shrugged and sat down in the chair beside his bed.

Ducky sighed.

"I am being allowed to go home in a few days, Jethro. Please don't feel you have to stay here till then on my account."

"You tired of my company, Duck?" Gibbs asked with a gentle smile.

"No. But you've been here for days on end. And I know you've been working. Drinking too, if I'm not mistaken. You need to rest" Ducky said, placing a hand on his arm. "It's the weekend. Spend it at home. Doing something you love."

Gibbs looked at the hand and wondered when his old friend had become so frail. The feeling of fear rose in his throat again.

"Any chance they'll let me spring you for a while? Wheelchair ride round the corridors?" Gibbs asked.

Ducky smiled.

"I'm afraid not. Mr Palmer has offered to bring mother around before dinner, and I am loathe to change their plans. You know how that boy gets. Mother too."

Gibbs smiled.

"I'll stay with you till they get here."

"Is it worth trying to dissuade you?" Ducky asked with a wry smile.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows.

"Thought not" Ducky said with a small chuckle.

* * *

Gibbs wandered out of the hospital a few hours later. He rubbed a hand over his face and began to walk. He deliberately went into a different bar, but wasn't surprised when two hours or so later he found himself on the patch of pavement in front of the previous night's bar – a little worse for wear. What were the chances she would be there again anyway.

"I know I left them here last night. Give me back my keys."

"I'm sorry ma'am. You've had even more to drink than you had yesterday. In all conscience I can't let you have them back."

"Oh don't you _ma'am_ me" she rebutted acerbically.

So his instinct had been totally wrong, Gibbs thought. The red headed woman from the previous night looked like she was about to crawl across the top of the bar and castrate the barman. He froze for a second, watching the exchange and wondering whether he should just walk away. But something made him walk forward and place a hand on her shoulder.

"He's being rude again" she said without looking round.

The barman rolled his eyes and walked off.

"Another bad one?" Gibbs asked, pulling out a bar stool and sitting down next to her. He patted the one behind her and she sat down too.

"The worst" she said.

Gibbs nodded at the barman to fill both their glasses.

"Spill ..."

"I don't want to" she replied, twirling the glass round, coating the inside with amber liquid and watching the patterns.

"Fine."

Gibbs took a sip, and waited. He recognised the signs. Knew she wanted to talk. It was just a question of when. There were a few minutes silence, and then she sighed.

"He's a bastard" she announced.

Gibbs turned to her.

"We all are" he said simply.

She was still looking into her glass, as if mesmerised by the way the liquid clung to the sides of it.

"He could at least been vaguely sorry. He was _so_..."

She trailed off, unable to think of an appropriate word.

"_Rude?_" Gibbs suggested.

"Yes" she practically shouted. "He just stood there and told me that this was my fault. _My fault!_ He said if I weren't so frigid I'd have realised years ago that he has needs. _Real needs_. And he called _me_ a workaholic. That's rich, you know, coming from a man who works ninety-six hours a week."

Gibbs almost choked on his bourbon at the mention of the word _frigid_.

She carried on as if she could read his thoughts."He said I was undesirable. And the stupid thing is .. he's probably right. Even you don't find me attractive."

Gibbs opened his mouth and closed it again, and she turned in her seat, her eyes burning with alcohol and anger.

"I came on really strong last night. And you totally ignored me."

She put a hand on his thigh and he coughed and shifted - trying to ignore the burning desire that threatened to settle in his groin.

"See? Nothing ..." she said as she pulled her hand back.

He resisted the urge to place her hand back on his thigh and move it where he wanted it – but he knew that he'd be playing with fire. And he'd already had so much to drink that it wasn't even a sure bet that anything would happen. He figured he'd spare himself _that_ embarrassment.

"I think you _have_ had enough to drink" he said instead.

"Oh God...don't _you_ start" she scoffed, throwing the last of her drink down her throat.

Gibbs put a hand under her elbow and encouraged her off the stool. She resisted, but as his hand slid from her elbow to her lower back, she gave in and let him direct her towards the door.

"I really do sleep naked you know" she whispered as she stopped suddenly and leaned back into him.

The barman let out a brief laugh behind them and she whirled around – murder in her eyes.

"Right ... lets go" Gibbs said, taking her by elbow again; a little more firmly this time.

He ushered her outside and fell into place behind her.

"I hate it when people walk behind me" she said, annoyance tingeing her tone.

He sighed and stepped up next to her. She nodded happily. It took him about five minutes to realise that she had fallen behind him herself. He turned around to find her standing with her head cocked to one side, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What?" he asked.

She smiled slowly, a hungry look in her eyes.

"It's my turn to stare at your ass" she said.

Gibbs took her elbow again and and pulled her along. She stumbled into him, her hand automatically going out to steady herself against his chest. She stared at her hand, suddenly conscious of the feel of his hard body beneath her fingers. He stared at her for a moment, and then linked her arm with his.

"Are you sure you don't have any fetishes?" she asked.

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"I have three ex-wives" he said. "I can't afford any fetishes."

"Want to know if I have any?" she said, her speech more than a little slurred. "Because, you know, if you're going to share my bed you should know a little more about me."

"I'm not going to share your bed" He said as they rounded the corner and reached the hotel.

He removed her arm from his and took a step back. She looked up at him through her lashes, her green eyes wide and more than a little hurt.

"Am I really that unattractive to you?" she asked.

Gibbs cleared his throat awkwardly. He debated telling her that after the copious amount of alcohol he'd consumed he'd be of no use to her in that department – but decided that he wasn't quite ready for that kind of a confession.

"You're under a lot of emotional pressure at the moment" he said instead. "Taking advantage of you while you're on the rebound would be wrong."

She looked at him for a long moment.

"Don't you ever just follow your damn gut?"

"All the time" he admitted.

"Then come to bed with me. If nothing else you look like you could use the distraction too" she reasoned as she took a step towards him.

Her mouth was inches from his and he could feel her breath against his skin, but it didn't prepare him for the sensation of her tongue lapping against his lips for just an instant. It was as though she'd flipped a switch.

He felt his body react.

She pulled away and headed for the elevator. She stepped in and leaned against the doors, holding them open.

"You comin'?" she asked, one hand on her hip.

Gibbs pondered. He hadn't been expecting to be up for anything, truth be told. Now that he no longer had that little problem to hide behind he found himself on unsecured ground. He mulled over his choices. He could go home, drink some more, pass out under the boat. Or he could take the redhead up on her offer.

He slipped into the elevator just as the doors were sliding shut.

She rotated her neck and watched him. Waiting for him to make the first move. Baiting him with her body, almost. He was about to reach for her when there was a call of '_hold the elevator_' and a large group of people crowded into the confined space.

As more of the group entered they found themselves pushed to the back, their bodies almost pressed together.

"Which floor?" someone at the front asked her.

"Penthouse" she said with a serene smile.

Gibbs stifled a groan as her hand made its way to his thigh. He glanced at her. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, but there he could see the beginning of a smirk tugging at her lips. He shifted, trying to get away, knowing that now was not the time to play games. He grabbed her wrist as her hand drifted higher, the heel of it dangerously close to his groin.

She wrenched her hand free from his and planted it back higher on his thigh with determination. His breath hitched in his throat quite audibly and a woman in front of them turned around. He gave her a strangled smile. Gibbs glared at the minx beside him and she grinned mischievously back at him. His mind made up, he took her hand again - his fingers tightening around her wrist.

Two could play her game, he decided. He leant towards her, his lips grazing her neck – taking pleasure in the fact that a shiver ran through her body and that her eyes darkened as she turned them to him.

He grinned and straightened up.

She tried to tug her hand free but his grip was like an iron vice. She pouted at him but he didn't care. He touched her at his leisure; his thumb absentmindedly rubbing back and forth over her pulse point. She glanced at him and gave an experimental tug. His jaw muscles stopped quivering and his mouth twitched, in something which looked suspiciously like a smirk. She bit on her bottom lip as his hand brushed against her thigh.

His grip loosened when the doors opened and she readied herself for a counter-attack as soon as they had closed again. But the group exited and two more people walked in, nodding in their direction.

"Evening ..." the woman said, staring at them for a moment longer than she probably should have.

They rode with them another two floors. And then exited.

The woman turned to him but he bought her silence with two fingers to her lips. He had just pressed his lips to her inner wrist when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

She wrenched her hand free and rooted around in her bag.

"Lost your key?" Gibbs asked as he pressed up behind her, his chest firmly against her back. "Or are you planning to have your wicked way with me out here?"

She smiled triumphantly as she pulled out her key card, but her hands trembled with inebriation and she kept missing the slot. He reached around with one hand and helped her, his other hand raising her skirt along her thigh and caressing her over her stockings. The door beeped and as she plunged into the room he suddenly wasn't standing close enough anymore. She spun and hauled him inside, using his weight to slam the door.

He barely had time to take in his surroundings before she had his back firmly against the wood and her body plastered to his. For a moment she hovered, as if she is suddenly unsure of what she was doing. Gibbs closed the gap, bringing his hands to cup her face. His thumbs stroked her cheek and his fingers tangled in her hair.

A dull thud told him that she'd dropped her bag, but he couldn't bring herself to care because he had no intention of letting her go.

It came as somewhat of a surprise when she suddenly pulled away, taking two steps backwards.

The only sound in the room was that of her laboured breathing.

Her eyes were wide, lust filled – with the faintest hint of uncertainty in them.

And then it hit him. She was self-conscious. She hadn't been with a man other than her husband in fifteen years, and probably a few years before that too.

His fingers crept out and hit the nearest light switch.

"I say it's time we turn off the lights and play in the dark."

He'd been right on the ball. The moment the lights went out she she stepped forward again, hand reaching out to clutch at his jacket and push it off his shoulders. He lifted a hand to caress her face, fingers touching her lightly, running over her cheekbone, a thumb trailing over her bottom lip; sliding down her jaw and stroking the side of her neck. She shivered as his hand slipped around the back of her head and pulled her closer. But she went willingly. Opening herself to the depth of the kiss he was testing her with.

Something inside Gibbs suddenly snapped and he hitched her around his waist; pushing off the door and bumping into the nearest piece of furniture. The chest of drawers protested slightly against the impact, but neither one of them seemed to notice. She pressed the heel of her hand into his groin and smiled against his mouth as he arched into her touch. He savoured the feel of it before he pushed her hand away and pulled her tightly to him.

She plastered kisses all over his face, down his neck. A hint of teeth made him moan, and the moan changed into a growl as the coffee table caught him on the shin. He all but threw her down on the bed before he extracted himself from his shirt, throwing it carelessly across the room. She sat up and pulled her blouse over her head and lay back supported by her elbows. His hand tangled in her hair as he moved onto her, and he angled her head so that he could place open mouth kisses to her neck. She bit off a moan as he wriggled a hand underneath her and raised himself off the bed - lifting her with him in one fluid movement. Deft fingers freed her of her bra as she wrapped herself around him.

He once again tried to make it to the bed but she'd turned them around. A bump and a crack told them that they'd encountered glass, and that it hadn't survived the encounter.

"That's seven years back luck" he murmured against her neck.

"I don't give a damn" she said, dragging his mouth back to hers and swallowing his feral growl.

She suddenly felt the edge of the bed against the back of her legs and tumbled onto it. He leaned forward, forcing her to lie on her back. One of his hands was firmly planted by her hip whilst the other fumbled with his belt. She sat up and slapped his hands away, undoing the belt, the button and the fly, pushing his pants down his thighs and tugging on his boxers. He sucked in a breath as her hands touched his stomach, and a sudden irrational hatred of her husband flitted across his mind.

She misread his faltering and placed a small hand on his face.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Her voice was low and sultry and it sent shivers of anticipation down his spine.

"Hell yeah" he replied as he reached down to nuzzle her neck.

"You know ... I think it's time we were formally introduced" she whispered.

"Jethro" he said as he took a swipe at her neck and then nipped at her shoulder gently.

"Jenny ..." she returned. "Oh God ... do that again."

Gibbs raised his head slightly – just enough to get a kick out of the unadulterated pleasure written all over her face. Then he went back to suckling her breasts.

Her hands wound in his hair to hold him in place as she arched underneath him, moans escaping her mouth. One of his hands skimmed down her side, tracing the contours of her body, exploring the expanse of skin beneath his fingers. He ran his hand down her thigh, lifting her leg around his waist, before curling it underneath and fingering the lace of her panties. She gasped as his fingers poked through the flimsy material.

"Stop teasing ..." she breathed.

He grinned against her skin and lifted her head. Her hands were still tangled in his hair when she brought his lips crashing down on hers, her tongue practically forcing entry into his mouth. Her desperate moans were muffled by his mouth, but they were enough to raise his arousal a notch. He was already beyond desperate to satisfy his curiosity of what it felt like to be inside her. His hand slipped between her skin and the lace, his fingers grazed her stomach before finding and pressing on the bundle of nerves that had her biting her bottom lip to prevent the cry that threatened to escape.

"That's enough" she said suddenly, pushing him off her with strength he couldn't even conceive she possessed.

She pulled the last piece of material from her body and threw it away from her. He spared himself a moment to drink in the image of her lying naked in front of him - the street lamps highlighting every curve. But then she was tugging off his boxers and pulling him down onto her again. Her fingers curled in his chest, digging in slightly as he leant over her. He bit gently down on a nipple, soothing the bite with his tongue immediately after. His fingers found their way to her hips and tightened, until he was certain he was leaving bruises. The thought of her wearing his marks had him tightening them even more. He didn't give her a chance to catch her breath before he was buried deep inside her, and he was almost sure her eyes were darker than before. He didn't pause, because his hips moved almost on their own. She locked her legs around his waist and angled her hips upwards to let him in deeper. He groaned as he buried his head on the pillow next to hers, inhaling her scent deeply. Her fingers dug into his shoulder as they fought to stake their claim on each other. She dug her fingers into his back and the thought that they would be wearing similar bruises made his pick up the pace.

Incoherent words escaped her lips as she neared orgasm; an intense heat travelled from between her legs, down the back of her thighs, right down to her toes. Her fingers dug into him a little more as she arched up into him one last time. Every muscle in her body clenched as it finally hit. The change in position of her hips had him biting off a string of curses, the clenching of her body around him had him thrusting into her once last time before his climax hit him. Intense and furious.

He stayed buried inside her, enjoying the afterglow and the comedown of possibly the most intense sex he'd had in many years. She shifted slightly and bit down on her bottom lip as he pulled out, the friction on the already intensified nerve endings almost too much. He collapsed next to her, his own breathing loud in his ears. She nuzzled him, her breath blowing gently over his skin. He felt sleep call him and he didn't even try to fight it.

* * *

She hadn't been asleep for very long if the ache all over her body was anything to go by. She rolled over and felt the side of the bed which should have been occupied by Jethro. She groped for the bedside lamp and switched it on. Soft muted light spilled across the room and highlighted him crossing the room. He turned to her, his pants in his hands. He looked like a startled rabbit caught in headlights and she resisted the urge to laugh.

"I'd better get going" he said.

Jen clutched the sheet around her body, suddenly self-conscious. It wasn't every day she fell into bed with complete strangers. She hadn't slept with anyone else but her husband for eighteen years. She bit her lip - unsure of what to say.

Gibbs stopped dead in his tracks as a flicker of embarrassment and upset flashed across her eyes. He hadn't wanted to leave, but didn't want awkwardness in the morning. He knew, from experience many years ago, that mornings after were usually awkward - and he wanted none of it.

"You can stay if you want."

Her voice was quiet and unsure, and it drew him back to her side.

The uncertainty faded from her eyes as she moved the sheet aside and let him slip into bed.

She rolled him over onto his back.

"Ready to have your world rocked again?" she asked light-heartedly.

"I'm barely over the last time" Gibbs said with a grin that matched her own.

He caressed her hair slowly as she lay on top of him. Twirling the red tresses in his fingers as though they were something precious.

"What?" she asked after a while.

"Nothing" he lied.

"You were looking at me very intensely just now" she said.

"For a moment you reminded me of someone I used to know" he said after a while. Not sure why he was even divulging this to her. Determined not to let her know who it was she'd reminded him of at that precise moment.

She looked at him for a while, and her face broke into a sad but tender smile.

"Did you love her very much?" she asked.

Gibbs wasn't sure he could speak even if he'd wanted to. But she apparently read the answer in his eyes because she touched his face tenderly before she lowered her mouth to his.

"Then I'm glad I remind you of her" was all she said before she kissed him.

And there was just something about the way she said it. Something about the sincerity behind the words that blew him away.

The second round was nothing like the first. There was no tussling for dominance. No cat on heat in his arms. Just warmth that radiated from her and seeped into his soul. She kissed him deeply and passionately, drawing from him tenderness that he'd forgotten he was capable of. He felt her tightness envelop him and he was unable to draw his eyes from hers. He buried his face in her shoulder, feeling a lot more emotional than he should be, his mind supplied. He wanted to put it down to the alcohol, but he knew it wasn't just that. there was no time to dwell however, because the intensity caused his climax to build a lot quicker than he was expecting - and he realised suddenly that he was moaning; completely lost in feeling as the tremors of orgasm wracked his body. And through it all she held him close. So close that he could feel her hot breath on his neck as she fell over the edge at the same time as him.

She caressed his face as he opened his eyes.

"Thank you" she murmured against his lips.

"What for?" he asked as he pulled her down into his side.

"For giving me what I needed."

Gibbs spooned up behind her. He allowed himself the luxury of burying his face in her hair and inhaling its scent.

"Just for the record" he whispered gently as he placed a kiss behind her ear, "you're very far from being frigid."

He felt her sobs rather than heard them. Rotating her in his arms he held her close. Stroking her hair till she was all cried out and fell asleep.

* * *

Jenny opened her eyes the moment the sound reverberated through the room. She slipped quickly from the bed and looked around frantically for her bag – afraid that the noise from her vibrating Blackberry would wake the man sleeping in her bed before she managed to slip away.

She identified the caller with a sigh.

"I'm on my way down" she said before ending the call.

She tiptoed round the room picking up her clothes, and it didn't take her long to realise that she couldn't wear them. They reeked of smoke and alcohol from the bar. And of Jethro. She pulled the closet door open slowly and slipped a trench coat off a hanger. As quietly as she could she stuffed all of her belongings into the Louis Vuitton carrier bag sitting at the bottom. She felt rather foolish slipping her coat on over her nakedness, but she knew that there would be no questions asked. And she'd be home soon enough anyway.

Part of her wished to wake him. To thank him again. To look into that sea of blue one last time. But she knew better. It would only necessitate conversations. Goodbyes. Awkwardness. She'd felt that being with her had brought to the surface a lot more pain than he had been prepared for; and she'd seen enough divorce in her circle of friends to anticipate the heartache that lay in her own immediate future. It was better to slip away before he woke up. For both their sakes.

She knelt by the side of the bed and pressed a gentle kiss to his temple.

And then she was gone.

* * *

The knocking on the door woke him up from the deep sleep. He groaned

as he lifted him self off the bed into a sitting position. His eyes still closed he furrowed his brow, wondering who the hell would be knocking his bedroom door. His eyes flew open, and the previous night came flooding back. Every moan, every kiss, every sight.

I'll get it" he called in the direction of the bathroom and heading for the door.

As he reached for the handle he realized that he was still naked. Cursing his hangover, he walked back to the bedroom, found his pants and pulled them on.

"Jenny? You okay in there?" he said as pulled on his pants.

He heard a key card slide into the door, and he had his pants halfway up his let leg when it opened and he came face to face with a chambermaid.

"Checkout is at noon, Sir. I'm sorry - we can't let you stay any longer. We need the room." Realisation hit him, Jenny had gone, left.

Gibbs nodded and pulled on his shirt. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but Jenny sneaking out before he was awake had not on his list of expected outcomes. He looked round the room. The mirror was broken, the coffee table was not where it should be and the sheets of the bed were not all in the right place either.

He opened his mouth to say something but the woman in front of him anticipated him.

"She's already paid for all the damage" she said reassuringly.

Gibbs stared vacantly at her for a moment, and then he swung into his jacket and left the room, his mind on Jen. He understood. Really. Goodbyes after a one night stand were usually awkward. He supposed he should be grateful that he'd gotten off easy. And yet he felt the sting of regret.

He raked a hand through his hair and briefly nodded at the man who walked up to the elevator and mumbled _good morning_ as they stepped inside together.

"Sir!"

A voice sounded down the corridor and he bristled, hoping with everything he had that the voice wasn't talking to him. He turned and sighed as the chambermaid came down the corridor holding a flimsy piece of material between her thumb and forefinger. She handed them gingerly to Gibbs.

"Your girlfriend left _these_"she said.

He stared at the pink lace in his hands before he remembered the man standing next to him. He stuffed them into his pocket and hit the button for the lobby.

He definitely didn't imagine the stifled snort that came from the guy.

"Good night, I take it. Lucky bastard!"


	4. Chapter Three

Gibbs settled into a back seat in MTAC beside the Director.

"Leon?"

Leon Vance shifted in his seat for a moment before signalling a tech to start running a slide show.

"What am I lookin' at?" Gibbs asked as photos of foreign dignitaries flashed across the screen.

"There's going to be a naval summit" Vance said.

"Where?"

"As yet undisclosed" the Director replied. "Three day event. Representatives of nine nations – including us. Focusing on co-operation. Among other things."

The slide show ran on.

"We can no longer ignore the recent rise in crime, Jethro. Smuggling. Narcotics, arms and weapons. There's piracy. Robbery ... "

Gibbs nodded.

"The perpetrators of these crimes are well-organized and well-funded transnational crime syndicates who take full advantage of the vastness of the oceans" Vance continued. "But ... as you are aware ... it is critical to ensure that whatever we plan and do, flows from a broad consensus. With political backing, maritime commitment, naval resolve ..."

"And all that other good stuff" Gibbs said as he rolled his eyes.

"It's a critical military crisis" the other man said. "There's the need for synergy among navies to keep the oceans free of pirates and gun-runners."

"How does NCIS figure in all this?" Gibbs asked.

"The _USS Ronald Reagan_ will be representing the US. Joining other naval carriers at the location for the duration of the summit. The navy will be hosting a few sessions on board."

"Threats?" Gibbs cut in.

"A few" Vance replied. "To be expected. As Agent Afloat on board the _Reagan_, Agent Di Nozzo will be responsible for co-ordinating security. But our concern at the moment is the sessions the navy is chairing aboard other carriers. Specifically those of the Deputy National Security Advisor. A Dr. Carlisle."

"Don't know 'im."

Vance tugged at his tie before continiung.

"Close personal friend of SecNav."

"Doesn't he come with his own detail?"

"SecNav wants to cover all bases, Jethro. To put it plainly he's paranoid about something happening on our watch. Wants our best man out there overseeing security for the Chair. And _that_ would be you."

"Babysitting" said Gibbs in disgust.

"I'm sorry Jethro. It's not a request."

Gibbs nodded.

"There is just one _little_ problem" Vance ventured.

Gibbs looked at him in the semi-darkness.

"Just one?"

"The good doctor's not terribly fond of having a detail. So you'll have your hands full."

"You tell him the second _b_ stands for _bastard_" Gibbs replied with a sardonic smile.

"Already have" Vance said, standing up with a smile.

He walked down the few steps to the front and addressed someone sitting there.

"He's your problem now, ma'am" he said. "Meet Special Agent Gibbs."

"Hello Jethro" a familiar voice said.

For a moment Gibbs felt as though he'd been sucker-punched. In his mind's eye he got sucked back to the night he'd spent in her arms, and he froze. The recall was so intense that he could could feel her fingers digging into his shoulders as he moved within her. Breathy moans filled his ears – urging him on. Driving him insane. He caught a whiff of her perfume in the room; the same she'd been wearing that night, he was sure of it. It brought more memories. Her scent filled his nostrils. He remembered the feel of her slick skin against his. Felt the heat emanating from her body as she breathed his name and broke underneath him. His thoughts ran unbidden to the second time they'd made love – and the actual thought that his brain had referenced it that way shook him even more than the visuals. His eyes widened a bit as he pushed the image away. He couldn't bear to think of how he'd felt that second time.

Vance looked between the two of them for a moment and then decided he didn't want to know.

"Dr Carlisle, Gibbs .." he said before turning to go.

"Actually it's Dr Shepard as of tomorrow morning" she said with a graceful smile, never taking her eyes off Gibbs.

"Dr. Shepard ..." Gibbs said slowly, trying to come to terms with the fact that the woman he'd been trying to put out of his head for months was standing right in front of him.

"I don't bite, Agent Gibbs" she said with a smile as she picked up on his hesitation. "Any problem taking orders from me?"

"As Dr Shepard or as a woman?" he asked, the words slipping out before he was aware of what he'd said.

"Either."

Gibbs shook his head slightly.

"That was six months ago. The past won't be a problem."

Jen smiled at him and the rush that ran through him immediately alerted him that no matter how much he wanted to pretend that it wasn't going to be, the past was very much going to _be_ a problem.

"Jethro .." she said as she inclined her head. And from that he concluded that she had somewhere else she needed to be.

"Ma'am" he said, stepping aside to let her precede him out of the assessment centre.

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. She heard the respect in his tone and although her heart was racing she was fairly certain that she wasn't giving anything away. He was obviously going to let her take the lead on this one. He wasn't going to press his advantage; and for that she was grateful.

Gibbs escorted her down the stairs to the bullpen, ignoring the looks that followed them. As they reached the elevator two men materialised.

"We'll take it from here, Agent ... Gibbs" one of them said as he peered at his name tag.

Gibbs nodded and stepped away. Still not quite able to draw his eyes from her.

As the elevator doors started to slide towards each other she placed a hand out and stopped them. Two steps forward and she stood close to him.

"It's good to see you again, Jethro" she said gently.

Gibbs felt something in him loosen a bit, but he couldn't find a suitable response. None of the things that ran through his head were even remotely appropriate.

"I'll see you in a few days" was all he said.

She kept him in her sights as the elevator doors slid closed.

Gibbs ran a hand across his face and then walked to his desk

His new team stared at him.

"Has no-one got any work to do?" he said. And the snarl in his voice took even him aback.

"Good God, Jethro" Ducky said as he walked towards him. " Whatever's the matter. You look as though you've just seen a ghost."


	5. Chapter Four

Jen stood a few feet away talking rapidly into her cell phone while her head of security watched over the customs official rifling through her hand luggage.

"Have we met before?" he asked Gibbs as they stood waiting.

"Nope. My tastes don't run into politics" Gibbs answered pulling the bag off the conveyor belt.

Melvin relieved him of it and looked over to make sure that Jen was still out of earshot before continuing.

"I've been with Dr Shepard for two years, Agent Gibbs. I have protected her in Iraq. In Afghanistan. Places where she _really _needs protection. Not just at some damn _fundraiser_. I don't need or appreciate NCIS looking over my shoulder, telling me how to do my job."

Melvin stood straighter, emphasizing his point with his height and broad chest.

Gibbs stared at him.

"Just doin' _my_ job" he replied, and watched with interest as Melvin gripped Jen's bag a little tighter.

"Just stay out of my way. And before you make any decisions about Dr Shepard's security you clear it with me first."

Melvin stalked off as he saw Jen start to move. Gibbs wondered how responsible the man was for the fact that Jen hated having people walk behind her. But he had no choice but to reach for his own bag and follow suit.

* * *

Tony was on deck, a massive grin plastered on his face, when they arrived.

Gibbs clapped the younger agent on the shoulder and Tony looked at him for a moment.

"Missed you too, Boss" he said. He leant slightly to Gibbs's left just as Jen came into his line of vision.

He grinned as he took in the red hair and the shapely figure.

"Who's the redhead?"

"Dr Jennifer Shepard" was all Gibbs said, his eyes scanning the deck for potential danger.

"Trouble" Tony mused. "Most of the men on this boat haven't seen a woman who looks like that in five .. missed that as well, Boss."

He rubbed the back of his head.

"The trouble better not include you, Di Nozzo" Gibbs said, the warning hanging between them.

A loud voice broke up the staring session.

"Agent Gibbs, I presume? Commander Harris" a man said, sticking out his hand. Gibbs gave it a brief shake and noted the way the Commander's eyes never met his own. They flitted across his shoulder and settled on Jen.

Gibbs made the introductions.

"Dr. Jennifer Shepard and her head of security, Melvin Craig."

Jen removed her sunglasses and smiled serenely at the Commander. Gibbs didn't fail to notice the way his eyes lit up hungrily as he checked her out in what he no doubt thought was a discreet manner.

"Dr Shepard, if you'd like to come with me?"

He gestured towards an entrance and Jen inclined her head and stepped in front of him.

"This boat secure, Di Nozzo?" Gibbs asked as she walked inside.

"Tight as a drum, Boss" Tony said, his eyes following Jennifer's form – like every man within a hundred feet.

"I have decided to turn over my quarters to you" the Commander said. "Here we are. You'll be infinitely more comfortable in here. Well ... as comfortable as you can possibly be on an aircraft carrier."

"That's very kind of you, Commander" Jen said, placing a hand briefly on his arm.

"I'll be next door" Gibbs and Melvin said simultaneously.

The Commander and Jen both turned around. Tony let out a strangled laughed and couldn't resist a comment amidst the face -off.

"You could play _rock paper scissors_" he suggested.

All four turned to look at him and he shrank back.

"Or ... draw straws?"

Gibbs glared at him.

"Imagine ... grown men drawing straws just to deal with little old me" Jen said in a soft voice as she brushed passed them both, shooting Gibbs a look that he couldn't read. "Melvin will take the room next to mine" she announced.

Melvin spared Gibbs a brief smug smile.

"Melvin, you will assist Agent Di Nozzo and make sure that this place is secure. I have my first session to chair in twenty minutes. Agent Gibbs, you're with me."

Gibbs suppressed the tiniest of smiles.

* * *

Ten minutes later Gibbs held the door to the deck open for Jen. She smiled slightly and stepped out, pulling the sunglasses back down over her eyes. She froze when she took in the helicopter waiting to transport them to another aircraft carrier.

She became aware of Gibbs watching her.

"You okay?" he asked.

She turned to him, her gaze unreadable due to the large sunglasses. A tight nod was her only answer as she strode purposefully towards the helicopter. He held the door open and helped her in. When he slid into the seat next to her he shot a sideways glance at her – his instincts telling him that she was out of her comfort zone. As the rotor blades kicked in and whirred to life, he saw her compress her hands together.

"Dr. Shepard. Jenny?" he called softly, touching her arm gently.

When she turned towards him he took in her clenched jaw. Instinctively he reached for her sunglasses and pulled them down. Whatever he saw in her eyes was enough to make him take her hand in his.

"It's a short ride" he said. "You'll be fine."

She jumped slightly at the gesture but relaxed when she felt the pressure on the inside of her wrist. Gibbs unconsciously stroked his fingers over her pulse point, feeling it flutter under his touch. He had no control over his thoughts. They took him back to the last time he'd done that to her. He wondered whether she was in the same place. But he didn't dare look. Not wanting to embarrass her if she wasn't. Looking straight ahead was the only option.

The helicopter landed and she made to move. Wanting to get out of the confines; away from the tension surrounding them both. But his hand stayed wrapped around her wrist. She gave her hand an experimental tug and he dropped it.

"Jethro ... are you alright?" she asked quietly.

When he didn't answer and continued to stare at her with a loopy grin on his face, a small smile tugged at her lips.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Elevator" he said, his eyes just a little glazed over.

A faint blush touched her cheeks.

"Get your mind out of the bedroom, Jethro" she said as she stepped out of the helicopter.

But she was smiling.

* * *

Gibbs watched from the sidelines as Jen chaired the meeting. He was impressed with the way she managed to hold the room's attention whenever she spoke. Impressed, but not surprised. She had a way of making whoever she was talking to feel like they were the only person in the world.

"Ready?" he asked, once they were back waiting to take their ride a few hours later. She paused briefly and swallowed, looking at the helicopter; and then nodded once.

He smiled briefly at her determination and placed a hand lightly under her elbow.

"Lets go" he said – and earned himself a smile which told him she remembered exactly where they'd ended up the last time he'd said that to her.

Her hand slipped automatically his into as the blades whirled above their heads, shooting him a small smile before staring, pointedly, out of the window. As they touched back down on the _Reagan_, she paused getting out, leaning over to him and quietly speaking into his ear, loud enough so he could hear above the noise but quiet enough so it was for his ears only.

"Perhaps we can talk later?"

He had just opened his mouth to answer when Tony popped his head round the helicopter.

"Hey Boss, Dr Shepard ... dinner's in thirty."

* * *

Gibbs and Tony stood at the side of the reception room. Watching. Melvin stood on the opposite side, his eyes flicking over every occupant; occasionally landing on Gibbs.

"He's watching you, Boss" Tony remarked after a while.

"I know" Gibbs said – and the younger agent almost did a double take. Because the tone sounded sufficiently amused. Not something he normally associated with his boss.

The doors opened and Jen entered alongside Commander Harris.

"Hubba hubba" said Tony under his breath.

"You say something, Di Nozzo?"

"Not a thing, boss."

They stared at Jen. She moved with an effortless grace that had everyone spellbound. The dress she was wearing could only be described as stunning. The green complemented her hair, making it look like as though it was on fire. And it no doubt set off her eyes, Gibbs found himself thinking.

"_You_ say something, Boss?" Tony asked.

Gibbs ignored him, his eyes following Jen as she circled the room, talking easily to the assembled crowd. And they kept following her late into the night. Until the last of the dignitaries had gone and Melvin had seen her to her quarters.

* * *

He paced in his room for half an hour. Half an hour too long, but he needed to wait. Finally he stuck his head out of his room and walked pointedly down the corridor towards Jen's room.

He rounded the corner and came face to face with Melvin.

"Agent Gibbs" he said icily.

"Melvin."

Gibbs made to walk past him but Melvin stepped to the side and blocked his path. They continued their dance twice more until Gibbs took a step back.

"I need to see Dr. Shepard." Gibbs said, crossing his arms in front of him, hardening his gaze. Melvin mirrored his stance.

"Is she expecting you?"

"Maybe."

He wasn't quite sure about that one.

"Is it urgent?" Melvin asked.

Gibbs was tempted to say it was.

"No."

"Then it can wait until morning." Melvin replied. "It's been a long day."

"Problem, Boss?"

The ever-faithful St Bernard suddenly appeared behind him. When Gibbs looked at him he smiled sheepishly.

"Doing my rounds. You know ... like a good armed federal agent does in ... such situations."

Melvin seemed to contemplate Gibbs before his eyes widened. He smiled. Slowly. With a hint of menace.

"I know where I know you from."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. He had no idea where this was going, and he could only hope it wasn't going somewhere it shouldn't.

"_Rock Bottom_. Bar near Bethesda. Six months ago."

Gibbs groaned on the inside. He hadn't know who Jen was then. If he had, he definitely wouldn't have fallen into bed with her because he would have been aware of the security following her every move.

"While you were playing grab assey with Dr Shepard I was doing my job."

He'd never found out whose bed she had come from the morning he had picked her up and she'd been wearing nothing but a trench coat. Now he knew.

Gibbs imagined Tony's eyes widening.

Melvin grinned.

"I'll tell Dr. Shepard you stopped by" he threw over his shoulder as he walked away.

Gibbs spun on his heel and took in Tony's gleeful expression.

"Don't say anything" he warned.

"Wasn't going to, Boss" Tony replied.

"Don't think it either."

Gibbs's glare was interrupted as a steward brushed passed them. He spoke to Melvin and Gibbs took a couple of steps forward as the man's eyes cut to his.

"Message for Dr. Shepard" he informed him, holding up an expensive-looking piece of stationery.

Gibbs turned it over in his hand as Melvin knocked on her door.

"Dr Shepard?" he called.

When there was no answer he tried again, fully aware of the subtle movement of Gibbs going for his weapon. Tony was right beside him doing the same.

"Dr Shepard?" Melvin called again, turning the handle. The door didn't budge.

Suddenly all the animosity between the two men dissipated.

Melvin nodded at him.

"Kick it in, Di Nozzo" Gibbs said, entering first and taking point as soon as he had.

"Clear" he shouted.

Melvin checked the bathroom.

"She isn't here" he said, moving back towards the front door. "Shit! She's on the deck" he said – suddenly remembering that she'd asked for a few minutes outside after the reception and he'd vetoed it.

He ran out of the room. Gibbs followed, with Tony hot on his heels. They barreled through the door and split up as they searched for her.

It was Gibbs who found her; staring over the edge of the carrier, unaware of the slight panic her absence from downstairs had caused.

"Jen" he ventured quietly, holstering his weapon when he was sure that she was unharmed.

She turned her eyes towards him and smiled gently.

"Jethro."

"You shouldn't be out here alone" he snapped.

His sudden change in demeanor had her frowning at him.

"I needed some air" she explained.

"You can't just sneak off without telling anyone. Anyone could have been out here."

She let out a small laugh, undeterred by his anger.

"Oh come on Jethro. I'm on an aircraft carrier surrounded by five thousand marines."

"You lost your detail, Jen. It's our job to protect you. We can't do that if we don't know where you are. How long have you been out here? Were you alone?"

Something flickered across her face and she tried to make light of it.

"You sound like a jealous husband."

"How would _you_ know?" he snapped at her.

And suddenly her amused expression was gone.

"That was below the belt, Jethro" she said, her voice low and full of hurt.

She brushed past him and stopped short as Melvin stepped into her path. He looked at her for a moment and then made the sign for her to walk ahead of him. He nodded once at Gibbs and fell into step behind her.

* * *

_A couple more quotes for you to spot..._

_V and E _


	6. Chapter Five

_See the quotes?_

* * *

Jen glanced out of the window as took her seat in the helicopter the next morning.

"Your ride leaving early this morning?" Gibbs asked as he opened the door and looked in. Politely, but with a hint of steel in his tone.

He relaxed a little as his eyes took in Melvin, sitting stock still beside her.

"No. I am on my way to chair my first session."

"We had an agreement."

"I wasn't aware that you had to know every detail of my working day" Jen replied, looking at her watch impatiently.

"It is my job to protect you."

"No, that's Melvin's job."

"I am under direct orders from SecNav, ma'am. So it looks like we're all going" he countered, climbing into the helicopter and settling down in the seat opposite her.

She put on her harness and stared out of the window, her hands clasped tightly together on her lap. He looked at them for a moment and his heart went out to her a little but there was nothing he could do. Not with Melvin present.

The man nodded at Gibbs. His eyes held none of the animosity they had last night. Apparently he had decided that maybe working together would be best for Jen. Gibbs nodded back in tacit agreement.

* * *

Gibbs watched Melvin's eyes dart over the room. They'd been stuck in conference for what seemed like hours, and the man hadn't let up for five minutes.

Over the past six months he'd thought about Jen. A lot. He'd been back to the bar two or three times – but she hadn't been there. He'd worried about her. Wondered how she was; if she'd made it a habit of picking up strange man in bars as she struggled to come to terms with the dissolution of her marriage; if anyone had watched out for her. Watching Melvin now he knew he'd worried in vain. This man wasn't about to let anything happen to her. For a moment he almost gave in to the temptation to wonder if there'd between anything between the two of them.

But Melvin drew him from that particular train of thought when he cast his eyes around the room again.

"Your gut tellin' you somethin'?" he asked the man.

"Something feels off" Melvin replied.

Gibbs looked round the room and was about to answer when his phone went off.

He rose from his seat and exited the room quickly when quite a few heads turned to look at him in unmasked disdain.

"What is it Di Nozzo?" he said, walking towards the deck.

"Boss ..."

Back on board the _USS Reagan_ Tony struggled out of a biohazard suit.

"The letter Dr. Shepard got last night?"

"Yeah? You open it?"

Tony rubbed a hand across his face.

"Di Nozzo!" Gibbs snapped.

"One of the lab techs did."

"And?"

"It dispersed a fine white powder."

"Was he wearing a suit?"

"No" Tony said, standing aside as people pushed past him. "They've initiated bio-attack procedures. All that level has been evacuated. The tech's being airlifted right now."

"Where you in there when it happened?"

"No" Tony replied.

"Do they know what it is?"

"I recovered a bit of it. Got it off with the airlift guys. They'll see it gets to Abby."

"How long before we know?" Gibbs asked as he walked back to the conference room.

"Coupla hours. At least."

"I thought these tests were fast."

"It's not a pregnancy test, Boss."

Gibbs grunted and cut the connection as he entered the room.

He spotted Melvin standing at the top of the room not far from Jen. He had just signalled him to move down when movement caught his eye.

Various aides moved forward and started to place packets in front of the attendees. Jen said something to the effect that they should open them, and suddenly Gibbs' gut kicked in. Whoever had tried to get Jen last night knew they hadn't. This was the perfect opportunity to try again – and get more people at the same time.

"_Don't_ ..."

He never got to finish his sentence.

Jen looked up at him - her fingers already skirting the flap.

Out of the corner of his eye Gibbs saw a blur of colour rise from the delegates' section, but it was Melvin who threw himself at Jen as the shot rang out.

It echoed around the room. People screamed and ducked, falling onto the floor. Gibbs pushed his way through the room as people streamed out - panic causing them not to care who or what they were stepping on. Jen had her small hands pressed into Melvin's back. His eyes were closed but he was breathing. She turned her face up to Gibbs as he reached her side.

"He's bleeding" she said in a small voice.

"He'll be fine, won't you Melvin?" Gibbs said, pressing a hand over hers in an attempt to keep pressure there.

But he wasn't so sure.

Melvin cracked an eye open.

"Nothing a few stitches … won't .. fix. You okay Dr. Shepard?"

His voice was strained and Jen's lower lip trembled.

"I'm fine, Melvin. Help is on the way" she said as she looked towards the door and saw the medics arrive.

Gibbs' cell phone rang again.

"Yeah ... Di Nozzo ..." Gibbs said as they got Melvin on a stretcher and wheeled him out.

"Boss ..." Di Nozzo again. "We got a body."

* * *

_V and E_


	7. Chapter Six

Gibbs stood on deck, shielding his eyes from the sun and the down draught from the helicopter as Melvin was airlifted off the ship. He smiled a little remembering how the man had crooked his finger at him and promised to hunt him down if Jen got hurt on his watch. He looked over at Jen for a moment. He was almost sure that the eyes hidden behind those large glasses were filled with tears, but she didn't say anything. And neither did he.

Together they watched the helicopter disappear into the sky.

Gibbs' gut was working overtime. Somebody had made two attempts on Jen's life now and all responsibility for her had fallen squarely on his shoulders. He was on a boat full of marines and his faithful St Bernard was at his side, but whoever wanted her dead was on the ship with them. He looked round him. Four and and a half acres of flight deck alone. It was a logistical nightmare. The ship floated twenty stories above water and it was just over a thousand feet long. Whoever was trying to take her out could be anywhere, and they were unlikely to discover him – or her – in the twenty-four hours that were left.

Jen shifted from one foot to the other at his side, and then turned on her heel and started to walk away slowly.

"Boss..." Tony appeared at his side. "Got you Abby's phone conference as you asked."

Gibbs indicated Jen's retreating form, and Tony nodded and fell into step behind her.

* * *

"What was the powder, Abby?" he asked when he stood in her presence.

Ducky hovered in the background.

"White, with a hint of tan" she replied.

"Abs ..."

Gibbs' tone alerted her to the fact that he was not to be trifled with.

"I need more time Gibbs."

"We don't have more time. This summit ends in twenty-four hours. I need to know what I'm dealing with here."

"I'm auto-sampling for anthrax, botulism, cholera ... all those nasty little bio-buggers."

A machine beeped.

"Ah!" she said. "You are in luck" she said as she walked over to it.

He saw her look at Ducky and step aside as she placed a sample under the microscope and let him take a look.

"This is bad, Gibbs" she said.

"How bad?"

"Very bad, Jethro" the medical examiner said, his eyes cutting to his.

"The powder in both envelopes was _Y. Pestis_."

"Which is Latin for what?"

"Plague" said Ducky, fear in his eyes.

"The powder in that envelope carries bubonic plague?"

Ducky shook his head.

"Pneumonic is more likely."

"There's more than one?"

"Oh there are three actually. But pneumonic is by far the most dangerous since it can be spread by simply breathing the Y. Pestis particles."

"The tech breathed it in" Gibbs said. "He wasn't wearing a suit."

"It may not be alive" Abby said. "Y. Pestis needs a host or moisture for it to survive more than a few hours. So if the envelope wasn't opened immediately .."

When nobody said anything she started to tap away at her keyboard. But Ducky shared a concerned look across the monitor with Gibbs while she did.

"I'll narrow my search to pneumonic Y. Pestis" she continued. "If I can isolate the strain then the hospital can hit it with a specific antibiotic."

"Duck?" Gibbs called – noting the anxiety in the medical examiner's stance.

"Whoever did this may have thought about that, Jethro" he said. "If the ..."

He was cut short by Abby's hand clamping down on his arm.

"Oh this is not good" she said.

"Abs?"

"This is _genetically altered_ Y.Pestis. Whoever did this ..."

"Has rendered it impervious to antimicrobials" Ducky finished off.

Fear rose in his eyes again.

"Was the lab negatively pressurised, Jethro?"

"I'll find out" Gibbs replied. "Why?"

"These are airborne pathogens. If they contaminated the rest of the ..."

Gibbs' forehead creased as he understood the implications.

"Was Tony there when the envelope was opened?" Ducky asked.

"Negative. But he's up on protocols anyway. Been scrubbed, sanitised. For all I know sterilised."

* * *

Back out on deck, Gibbs stood beside Jen's helicopter with a sense of unease that rivalled the unease over the dead body in the ship's morgue.

He'd met the medical examiner that had been flown in to conduct the autopsy, and briefed the agents that had arrived from the closest field office. And yet he was torn. Torn between getting to the bottom of this as quickly as possible, and staying close to Jen as per his orders. Security around her and the summit overall had been elevated to the point where another attempt should be impossible – but he was still unsure that he was making the right decision. And that in itself unsettled him. This was a lot more personal than it should under the circumstances.

Movement behind him told him that she'd arrived.

She stood in front of him and he knew the conflict was written all over his face.

"I'll be fine" she said as she indicated the three agents milling around her.

Gibbs nodded and saw her into the helicopter. As he closed the door his eyes fell on her hands. They weren't clenched together. He wondered for a moment if she were putting on an act for his benefit.

"Boss ..."

Tony stood at his shoulders a few moments after the helicopter was gone.

"Yeah ... Di Nozzo .."

Commander Harris stood next to him.

"Medical examiner's done" Tony said.

"What've we got?" Gibbs asked, casting one last look at the aircraft in the distance. Still not convinced he'd made the right decision.

"Blunt force trauma to the head."

"No exposure to anything then?" Gibbs asked.

Tony shook his head.

"We got an ID yet?"

"Delegate from Somalia. Aziza Awaale Bahdoon."

"What do we know?" the older agent asked as they walked inside.

"It's a mess, Boss. The Somali situation is a hot potato at the moment. The Gulf of Aden is a hive of illegal activity. Gunrunning, drug smuggling. You name it. Since the attack in 2000 .."

"The _USS Cole_ ..." mused Gibbs running a hand across his face. "Al-Qaeda .."

Harris chose this moment to pitch in.

"Insurance rates have gone up tenfold. If ships avoid the Gulf of Aden and go around Africa's southern tip instead, we're faced with the scenario of pirates becoming tools of terrorists, Agent Gibbs. Some ransom piracy proceeds are believed to go to _al-Shabab -_ a Somali militia that the U.S. accuses of harbouring the terrorists who attacked U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998."

Gibbs closed his eyes for a moment.

"There have been seventy-three attacks in the Gulf of Aden this year alone. Twenty-nine ships have been hijacked. That's twice as many as last year" Harris continued.

"So ... what ... we're all sitting down to try and find a solution to who is going to take responsibility if the pirates are caught?" Gibbs asked acerbically.

Harris shrugged.

"I told you – it's a nightmare scenario. It started with complaints about illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste, and it's escalated to this. Yesterday's talks were supposed to address the issue. They've been postponed till today. You don't think ..."

Gibbs' anxiety rose a notch and his eyes were drawn out to sea.

He was just about to say something when his phone went off.

"Agent Gibbs ..." a voice at the other end said.

Gibbs felt his blood run cold.

"We have a hostage situation. It's Dr. Shepard."

Time seemed to slow around Gibbs as he absorbed what the agent was telling him. A hundred thoughts ran through his mind. he wanted to reach down the phone line and pull the information out of the man; he wanted to tell Harris to get him on a helicopter; he wanted to direct negotiations from the deck of the _Reagan_. Anything to assuage the feeling that she was in danger because he had ignored his gut.

But he did none of these things - knowing that if he distracted the agents on the carrier now the consequences could be fatal. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost missed it.

"It's over" the agent said suddenly.

"Get her back here now!" Gibbs thundered.

He heard conversation in the background, and a moment later Jen's voice came down the line.

"The situation has been neutralised, Agent Gibbs, and as much as I appreciate your concern I do have a session to chair. It can't be postponed any longer - especially in view of what just happened. I will see you in a few hours."

She had handed the phone back to the agent.

"What the hell happened?" Gibbs shouted.

The agent hesitated for a second.

"A woman followed Dr Shepard into the ladies' room, Sir."

"Where were _you_?"

"Outside" the agent said, and it took Gibbs a moment to realise why.

"Everything ..." he said, his tone only a bit softer.

"Dr. Shepard talked her down" the other man replied, awe creeping into his tone.

"Dr. Shepard okay?"

"On her way to the session. Fritz and Calhoun are with her."

Gibbs snapped his phone shut and turned to the others.

"Agent Gibbs?" Commander Harris asked.

Gibbs ignored him as he barked orders out to Tony.

"Di Nozzo .. I need everything on that delegate. Check who she was travelling with, what company she kept on board. Commander ... I need a list of everyone who got on and off this vessel in the past twenty-four hours."

* * *

_Sorry for the delay...more will be coming soon._

_V and E_


	8. Chapter Seven

He'd been up on the deck when she'd come back onto the _Reagan_ by helicopter. Had watched as she exchanged a few words with the woman that came out of the aircraft escorted by Fritz and Calhoun. He'd been unable to make out what she was saying, but the fact that she touched the other woman's hand briefly and smiled encouragingly at her had come as a bit of a shock.

And now here he was at her door.

He lifted his hand to knock and let it fall back down, knowing that she wouldn't answer anything if the look that she'd flashed Di Nozzo on deck as he'd taken the Somali woman into custody was anything to go by.

The door opened with the invasive noise of metal on metal and she jumped, turning around to glare at him.

"I hate it when people sneak up on me" she said, standing up.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine" she replied.

"Jen..."

"Just let it go, Jethro."

There was a faint hint of pleading in her voice, as if she didn't want to relive the moment that she thought she might die again.

"I need to know what happened" he said taking a step towards her.

Unconsciously she took a step back.

"You've been interrogating the poor woman for ... three and a half hours" she said, looking at her watch in exasperation. "I am sure nobody can resist the Gibbs glare. Just as I'm sure you learned nothing more than I've already told Agent Perellos. You _know_ what happened. You don't need to hear it from me."

He looked away from her intense gaze. He'd been angry. Angry at the situation; angry that he'd made the wrong decision and stayed with the body instead of doing his job to protect her. And from the look of things she had quite a bit of anger of her own waiting to erupt.

She sighed and took a sip of the glass that he hadn't been aware of in her hand, because he had been staring relentlessly into her green eyes.

The look he gave her told her that he wasn't leaving until he got a verbal report of the afternoon's events.

Jen sighed again.

"She followed me into the bathroom. I didn't think anything of it until she pulled a weapon."

She paused and took another sip from the glass. Gibbs took another step towards her and uncurled her fingers from the glass; setting it down on the desk nestled in the corner of the small room.

"She looked so determined" Jen said - and he didn't miss the understanding in her voice even if he didn't fully comprehend it. "But she was so scared."

"You feel sorry for her?" he asked incredulously.

"Someone was threatening her family, Agent Gibbs."

He didn't miss the use of his title either.

"What would you do if someone hurt the people you hold most dear?" she demanded.

And in spite of himself Gibbs' thoughts drifted to a lifetime ago. To the day he'd lain in wait - holding his target, his quarry, in the sight of his rifle and easing the trigger. He shook his head slightly, not wanting to think about Shannon and Kelly, no matter how much the woman standing in front of him made him do so.

She seemed to sense something in his memories because she took a step forward, a minute amount of the hostility bleeding away from her body language and her gaze.

And suddenly it was his turn to take a step away.

"She wasn't a professional" he stated.

"We both know there is no way I could talk a professional down, Jethro. I'm good but I'm not _that_ good" she said, a small amount of amusement flickering across her face before it was pushed down and the fear crept back in.

Gibbs smiled a little.

"Have you heard from Melvin?" she asked suddenly, realising there hadn't been time to check amidst the drama of the day.

"Out of surgery. He's expected to make a full recovery."

She nodded once before turning away, and Gibbs didn't have to be an expert on people to know that she was scared, worried for the health of her bodyguard and generally wound too tight. The whole operation had taken its toll on both of them. It seemed liked he had been with her for months, when in fact it had been a matter of days. He was no longer surprised that Melvin was so devoted – and he knew it had nothing to do with chemistry. She'd _earned_ his loyalty. It was something she seemed to be good at – which possibly explained why she had been able to talk the woman down in the first place.

Something about the way her shoulders shook once had him placing a hand on them. He didn't want to see tears but he knew they were forthcoming.

"He's going to be okay, Jenny" he said quietly as he turned her towards him - not missing the way she shivered slightly at his use of her name.

Her bottom lip trembled and a tear slipped down her face. Gibbs lifted his hand, automatically, to wipe to wipe it away. But before he could she swiped at it angrily, hating her show of emotion.

It came as a rush that he was in way over his head. But there was nothing he could do to stop himself pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her. He didn't usually do well with emotion; with crying women. He wondered briefly how many women he'd held whilst they cried. Despite his many marriages the number was few. He didn't question his need to tighten his arms as he felt her body shake, but just let himself run his hands through her hair and whisper his own brand of comfort as she sobbed into his jacket.

"I suppose it sounds like a boast to say that I never cry" she said, raising her head after a while.

"It's been a rough day" he said, knowing he should be letting her go.

Jen nodded, and Gibbs let her go when he felt her pull away gently.

"Been a rough _six months_" she said.

"That too" he said with a small incline of his head.

He looked down at her green eyes. More tears threatened to spill over, and he unconsciously reached out and brushed one from her cheek - his palm against the side of her face, his thumb stroking over her cheek bone. She leant into the touch, her eyes sliding closed.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked, not quite sure what had possessed him to ask.

Jen shrugged.

"The divorce was ... bitter. I threw myself into work. And it's my fault Melvin's hurt. Again."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows at her.

"He got cut in Afghanistan two months ago. And we had a near miss in Iraq the month before that. Today makes it three times this year alone."

He could hear the weariness in her voice.

"I think perhaps it's time I packed this in. Far too many risks, Jethro. I can't reasonably keep asking this man or _any_ man to put his life on the line for mine. I'm surprised Melvin's stuck around so long."

Gibbs wasn't sure what to say.

"We do what we have to in this job, Jen" he said gently.

Jen's eyes searched his.

"How have _you_ been?" she surprised him by asking, her hand rising to his cheek.

Whatever he'd been expecting it certainly wasn't tenderness in his regard. It threw him off-balance, and as the moment stretched all he was aware of was her thumb grazing his stubble.

"God Jethro, what a mess" he heard her whisper as she brought his forehead down to hers.

He was sure she'd intended the kiss to be gentle; designed to offer comfort. Support rather than anything else. But the moment her lips touched his he was back in the hotel room, nothing holding him back but a few stray articles of clothing.

Jen seemed to sense the shift in him and tugged on his pants, bringing his hips closer. Shifting against them and grinning against his skin when he dragged his mouth away with a muttered curse. She didn't let him get his breath back, before she pulled him towards her again, her hands on his face, her mouth over his. His hands went into her hair and angled her head, placing kisses to her neck, enjoying the sounds being emitted from her that had kept him company during the nights for the past six months.

Her hands found their way under his shirt and splayed across his back, he arched under her touch, causing their hips to grind together. She hadn't realized that they'd moved until her back gently hit a wall in the small cabin and Gibbs had pushed her jacket off her shoulders. He continued to kiss her, his tongue causing havoc with her senses, as his fingers slid down her neck and across her collar bone. Fingering the collar of her blouse first and then her skin. She shivered in anticipation as he undid the top button and his fingers slid inside and ran along the lace of her bra.

Jen arched into him again, and his thigh slid between hers. She rubbed against him, feeling just how much he wanted more. She ran her hand down his stomach, feeling the way the muscles quivered, and her fingers traced the outline of him through his pants. There was no denying the rush of arousal in both of them, but when her hand fumbled with his belt, his mind chose that moment to come crashing back to reality.

_He was here to protect her._

He pulled back and she stared at him, eyes dark with desire. Her lips swollen and parted.

"Jen..." he began.

She silenced him with her lips again, running her hands down his sides and back up against before curling around the material at the front of his jacket.

He dragged his mouth away, not wanting to let this go too far, but not denying the need. The need to feel her under his hands once again. Her hands clenched around the lapels of his jacket and pulled him back to her once again. He braced his hands beside her head to stop himself falling into her. He pushed away from the wall, trying to ignore the look of hurt that flashed across her face.

She took a step forward, her hand seeking his face again.

"Jethro..." she whispered.

But he took a step back.

"I'm here to protect you, Jen. I can't do that if we're..."

He trailed off. He wanted nothing more than to take the step towards her, but he was alone now. Melvin was no longer able to watch out for Jen with him. And he knew he couldn't watch her if he was lost in her.

Jen gazed at him for a moment and then she smiled.

"I won't need protecting forever, Jethro" she said softly.

"I know..."

He reached forward and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Perhaps after the summit is over .." he began, leaving the offer hanging in the air.

She gave him a nod.

"After the summit" she said, pressing one last soft kiss to his mouth.

* * *

_V and E  
_


	9. Chapter Eight

* * *

"One way or the other I will be chairing that session in a few hours" Jen said as she paced round Gibbs in his quarters. "You can't keep me here against my will. I have a job to do and ..."

"We'll see" was all Gibbs said.

The sweep had been underway for several hours already.

"Sit-rep, Di Nozzo" he said into the two-way radio in his hand.

The radio crackled once and then Tony's voice came across loud and clear.

"Storage rooms, refrigerators, freezer, kitchen clear, Boss" he said. "Glad I didn't know what they were serving us these past few weeks. Called in the Agriculture Specialist's. He's ... having a cow. He's quarantined a shipment of grapefruit. There's suspicious-looking apples .."

"Di Nozzo!"

"Uh ... yeah. The incinerator room is clear. Fritz is on garbage trawl. Calhoun is heading up the inspection of the laundry .."

"The new batch of agents here yet?"

"They are. Up top with Perellos."

"Have Calhoun relieve me in five minutes" Gibbs said as a tap on the door was heard. "I wanna talk to them."

He took a step forward to anticipate, but Jen was ahead of him.

She took two cups of coffee from the petty officer standing in the corridor, and closed the door.

Gibbs looked at her.

"Did you ask if he made it himself?" he asked, a tad irritated.

Jen looked up at him with unbelieving eyes.

"Toss it" he said when no answer was forthcoming.

"I've been waiting for a cup of coffee for the past two and a half' hours. At least" she said irately.

Gibbs reached under his bunk and pulled out his kit bag. He rooted inside it and then tossed her a package.

"Knock yourself out" he said with a wry smile.

Jen looked at the package.

"You brought your own coffee?" she asked incredulously.

Gibbs inclined his head and smiled a little by way of answer.

Jen looked around the room.

"We're going to have to go to my quarters" she said, stepping towards the door. "At least there's hot water in there."

Gibbs nodded and cleared the passageway before letting her step into it.

Jen continued to turn the package over in her hands.

"Gotta be decaf" she said.

"What?"

"All that coffee you drink."

"Hi-test."

"Don't you twitch?" she said, looking over her shoulder at him.

The look on his face had her suppressing a laugh with difficulty.

"Forget I asked" she said, her voice low. "I _know_ you twitch .."

"Jen ..." he growled. But the growl was good-natured, and they shared a smile as they entered her quarters.

"You having any?" she asked.

"If you have to ask .." he said, as he checked the bathroom and closet space.

Jen had just opened her mouth to say something else when Gibbs' radio crackled again.

"Agent Gibbs .."

"Perellos .."

"I think we've found something."

"On my way" Gibbs said before switching channel. "Calhoun ... you done inspecting underwear?"

"Yep" the man replied. "On my way down to you now."

"Okay. Have Di Nozzo meet me. Perellos has something."

"On it ..." Calhoun said.

"Gonna have to pass on that" Gibbs said, ruefully eyeing the coffee cup Jen was holding out to him.

"You have less than an hour and a half Jethro. I intend to chair that session. Lots of things hang in the balance."

"Your _life_ hangs in the balance, Jen. And I'm not taking any risks with that – session or no session."

He looked up as Calhoun slipped into the room.

"You're up" he said, patting the man sympathetically on the shoulder as he left.

* * *

"What've we got?" Gibbs asked as Agent Perellos stood aside and let him into a small storage room few stories down.

Tony stepped in behind him.

"Looks like a sniper's nest" he said.

He watched Gibbs look round the room slowly – taking in the rifles and the gear.

"Perellos" he said, feeling somewhat crowded in the small room with the two other agents. "Get Harris down here."

Perellos nodded sharply and headed out.

Gibbs looked around some more.

"Something bothering you, Boss?" Tony asked after watching him pick up a rifle, put it down, and then move on to another one.

Gibbs turned the second rifle over in his hands.

"Sniping isn't just a form of shooting Di Nozzo; it's an art. The difference between a sniper and a designated marksman is that a sniper will utilise his surroundings to a greater degree of efficiency."

"So ... you want to ask Captain Harris if ... there's a sniper in his personnel?" Tony ventured, not sure where this was going.

Gibbs ignored the question and asked another one.

"This a restricted area?"

Tony checked his documents, and then shook his head.

"The ability to engage targets in complete safety and precision is what makes a sniper lethal" Gibbs said as he picked up a rifle and turned it round in his hands. "You don't move around. You set up base. You lie in wait."

He put the second rifle down and went back to the first one.

Tony drew closer as Gibbs lifted it up.

"91/30" Gibbs began as he inspected it. "Mosin Nagant sniper rifle."

He raised it to his shoulder and looked through the scope.

"Scope mount's height is far higher than the originals" he said when he brought it back down. "The original scope measures seven-eights of an inch from the top of the chamber to the bottom of the scope. This one measures about one and a half."

He peered down at the weapon in his hands.

"Recent welding under the bolt handle elbow" he pointed out.

"So it's _what_ ... a fake?"

Gibbs scrunched up his face.

"More like a rebuild" he said, pulling the weapon up close again and looking intently at the scope mount.

Tony followed his finger.

"Electro-pencilled serial number" Gibbs said. "Here."

"Which means what?"

"Which means someone's leading us by the ..."

The crackling of the radio reverberated around the room.

"Agent Gibbs we have a _situation_ here .."

Calhoun sounded as though he was at the end of his tether, and Gibbs was almost tempted to smile.

"Dr. Shepard is refusing to get on the helicopter. She says we have no right to .."

In the background Gibbs could hear the whirring blades - and raised voices. He was sure one was Jen's. She was arguing with someone he thought he recognised as Perellos.

"What helicopter?" Gibbs demanded, his eyes cutting to Di Nozzo who was already on his way out the door.

"You said to get Dr. Shepard off the ship pronto" Calhoun started.

And that's when it hit Gibbs. Perellos should have been seeking out Harris, not be on deck.

"Where's Perellos?" he shouted into the radio, jumping out into the passageway and heading for the surface.

"He's ..."

Calhoun panned the area and it felt to him as though he was seeing everything in slow motion. The pilot who had been there a few moments before was gone; Perellos was looking at his watch and sprinting away from the aircraft; He and Jen were standing alone at the edge of the carrier - just feet from the helicopter.

"Get her away from the aircraft now!" Gibbs shouted into the radio.

Jen was about to snatch the radio from the agent's hands and give Gibbs a piece of her mind when she felt a vice-like grip on her arm.

"Run!" Calhoun shouted as he propelled her forward.

Tony burst onto the deck as the helicopter was rent apart by what he could only assume was a bomb. He almost missed Perellos trying to disappear into the confusion that erupted.

Almost.

The other agent raised his sidearm faster than him.

"Come on Perellos…" Tony said. "Your goose is cooked. You really want it to end this way?"

Gibbs slowed as he approached from behind. He noticed the tiny almost imperceptible movement from Perellos that told him he did indeed want it to end this way. He paused for a second and then pulled. The round hit Perellos squarely in the shoulder. He clutched at it, falling to the ground and dropping his weapon. Gibbs was beside him in an instant. He kicked the weapon out of reach before training his own on Perellos's forehead, staring down the length of his body.

Perellos writhed on the floor, pain evident on his face.

He stared up at Gibbs.

"Do it" he taunted.

Gibbs shook his head slightly.

"Nope..."

"I'm not telling you anything" Perellos managed at say, gritting his teeth against the pain.

He opened his mouth to speak again and suddenly his whole body jerked to the side. Warm blood splattered against Gibbs's face and onto the deck. He whirled around, his weapon out in front of him - his eyes scanning the deck for any sign of the sniper that had just taken out Perellos. A quick assessment told him that the bullet had come from the top of the control room. He gestured in that direction, and Tony ran off – three other agents following closely behind him.

Gibbs inhaled deeply – preparing himself as best he could before turning towards the wreckage.

The sight of her hand, curled and bloody, lying against her head on the deck had him swallowing the rising panic down. He leant down and pressed his fingers into Calhoun's neck, closing his eyes and sighing when no pulse fluttered against his skin. He gently rolled him off Jen and checked her pulse, letting out the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding when he felt it thump back at him.

His hands skimmed down her body, assessing damaged and then he heard her gasp and cough.

"Any excuse .." she murmured, her voice husky from the blast.

Gibbs smiled weakly at her. He cupped her face, his thumbs running back and forth over her cheek bones, his eyes searching hers. Whatever it was she saw in his eyes took her breath away, and her immediate reaction was to try and move – a desire to reassure him she was ok.

He held her down.

"Don't move. Help is coming" he said, his voice low and carefully guarded.

"Calhoun?"

She turned her head away from him when Gibbs shook his. She closed her eyes trying to draw strength from the hands holding her down by the shoulders.

The only thing she could think of was that everyone she came into contact with was in danger. Melvin had been shot, Calhoun had been killed, and God knows how many others had been hurt or worse when the helicopter had exploded.

She opened her eyes and met Calhoun's lifeless ones and for a moment the urge to throw up was overpowering. She choked back a sob as she felt Gibbs' hand creep into her hair and curl around her neck.

The medics swarmed round her suddenly, and let them check her out without protest.

"Patch job" she said when Gibbs came to sit next to her a while later. "I'll be good to go in a while."

"Session's been cancelled" he informed her.

"The hell it has."

The blanket she'd been in huddling fell to her feet as she rose to her feet.

Gibbs reached for her elbow as she swayed.

I'm fine" she assured him – shaking his hand off.

"You're not going anywhere" he said.

She closed her eyes briefly and then snapped them open.

"There isn't a choice here" she said, making to move past him. "I have a session to chair. And not you nor anyone else is going to stop me."

She felt the world spin before everything went dark.

Gibbs caught her around the waist just before she fell to the ground.

Tony found him a while later standing outside the infirmary.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows at him in question – not surprised when the younger agent shook his head.

"He could be anywhere by now" Tony said.

Gibbs nodded tightly. Angrily.

"How is she?" Tony asked carefully.

"They had to sedate her" Gibbs said "She wanted to _swim_ to her session."

Tony smiled. And then his face grew serious.

"Uh ... Boss ... about before ..."

"What about it?"

"You weren't going to let him shoot me were you?"

"Nah."

"You had a plan, right?"

"Yeah."

"Because you seemed a little hesitant and ..."

But Gibbs had walked into the infirmary and was no longer paying attention.

* * *

_V and E  
_


	10. Chapter Nine

"Boss ..."

"Whatcha got, McGee?" Gibbs asked into his cell phone – stopping short of entering the elevator.

"I've been able to track monies to an account in Perellos's maiden aunt's name, and .."

Gibbs listened carefully.

"Send it on over" he said after a while.

"Already on your desk" McGee said. "Abby brought it in this morning."

Gibbs could hear the sadness in his voice, and it brought out a little more of his own.

"On my way up there now" he said, refusing to dwell.

He paused for a moment.

"Good work, McGee."

Gibbs swept into the bullpen and swiped a manila envelope from his desk. He took the steps to the upper briskly.

"Problem?" the Director asked, eyeing the envelope.

"If you want it to be" Gibbs replied, tossing it in front of him.

Leon Vance perused its contents.

"I know it's always been lost on you, Gibbs, but they write the rules for a reason."

"I have rules too."

"So I hear" the Director replied, shifting a toothpick between his teeth.

He tossed the packet back to Gibbs' side of the desk.

"Any reason to stop us investigating this .. Leon?"

"We had this conversation two days ago. It isn't our problem any longer."

"Agent Perellos ..."

Vance cut him short.

"Agent Perellos is dead. His ties with Somali-based groups are being investigated by the FBI. It's out of our hands."

Gibbs opened his mouth but Vance didn't slow down.

"Summit's over. The country's heading into a general election, Jethro. These are troubled times. We need to look inwards now. We've fulfilled our obligation to SecNav, the FBI has taken over, we are _done_. "

When Gibbs didn't answer, Vance stood up took a step around his desk.

"I'm well aware of your relationship with Dr. Shepard."

Gibbs looked at him impassively but didn't rise to the provocation.

"Never been comfortable with intimacy in protection detail situations m'self."

"Me either" replied Gibbs, his eyes giving nothing away.

Vance watched him for a long moment and then walked back to his desk.

"It's over, Jethro. Am I clear?"

"Crystal" was all Gibbs said before he turned and walked out.

* * *

The knock on the door was quiet and almost hesitant, and Jen walked slowly through the house. She opened the door and smiled at Gibbs. He looked awkward but held up a bottle of bourbon.

She let out a small laugh and stood aside.

"You okay?" he asked as she took the bourbon from his hands and walked into her study.

She turned at the drinks cabinet.

"Fine."

He rolled his eyes as she handed him a glass, and she laughed again. A gentle sound that resonated with him.

"I _will_ be fine?" she tried.

Gibbs smiled and seemed appeased with the answer. He angled his head slightly to read the titles as he walked towards the bookshelf.

Jen came up next to him and ran her fingers over the spines. She looked lost in thought, the light from the fire casting strange shadows on her face and the wall behind her. He reached out, almost unaware of his actions as he stroked her face. Her eyes cut to his. Questioning. Slightly wider. And even in the dim light he could see her hand trembling. He took the first step, uncurled her fingers from the glass clutched in her hands and placed it on the desk next to his. He turned back to her and wasn't surprised when she simply walked into his arms; wrapping an arm around his waist and just leaning against him.

They stood together for a while, their breath mingling in the space between them, drawing out the moment of being close to each other, before Jen stood in tiptoes and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but the look in her eyes and the way her face was inches from his had the words dying in his throat.

She reached forward, her fingers touching his face so lightly he could have imagined the touch if his eyes had been closed. Her fingers ran over his cheek bone, a thumb grazed over his bottom lip and her eyes met his again, sensuality shining from them.

A hand slid down his jaw and her fingers stroked the side of his neck. The touch was intimate, seductive, deliberate. Her hand moved again. Cupping the back of his head, winding her fingers into his hair and pulling him closer.

She kissed him.

"I'm fine, Jethro" she whispered, as if sensing his hesitation.

He pulled away and looked in her eyes. The kiss had left him feeling vulnerable and exposed. There were too many reasons why this had disaster written all over it, and yet he could feel himself tottering on a brink he just wanted to throw himself over.

They stood there for a while, trading slow, intimate kisses in the dim light. Both of them wanting to move, to take it further, but neither of them wanting to be the first to break the spell.

Jen was the first to step away, trailing a hand down his arm and entwining her fingers with his. He opened his mouth to speak but she placed a finger over it, a small smile gracing her delicate features.

"Stop thinking" she said as she tugged him towards the door.

He followed, almost unwilling. Wanting to talk, to explain what was going through his mind. But it was hard to do that when the smile she flashed him over her shoulder as she guided him up the stairs made every thought dissipate. Gibbs heard the door of her bedroom shut behind him and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was shutting the rest of the world out. Something he was grateful for. He didn't want to think about anyone else, and as he reached for Jen the rest of the world dissolved.

She sighed as she came into his arms, winding her own around him. Her hands slid under his shirt, splaying out across his back, pulling him closer, and their transition to bed was as fluid as though they'd been doing this forever. He wasn't even sure how he ended up beneath, but he was going with the flow until her fingers curled in his chest in a gentle pressure that caused the rest of the world to come crashing back around him.

His vision swam, and for a moment it was as though he was holding Shannon all over again.

There had been other red heads, but none had reminded him so much of her. For a second he thought Jen touching him that way might have triggered suppressed body memories – but then he realised that it was the look in her eyes as she leant down and pressed a kiss just above his heart. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent but not wanting to see her face. He didn't want to ask himself the question of why this woman in his arms had filled a void. He didn't know if it was because she reminded him of Shannon, or for another reason entirely, and the answer to both scared him.

He felt her tighten her grip around him and it pulled him from his thoughts. He kissed the exposed skin, feeling her muscles clench around him as she shuddered in his arms. But she kept on moving; pulling him closer and closer to the edge. He'd been so preoccupied that his own orgasm hit him unexpectedly – drawing from him a strangled moan that was as much one of intense sensation as the internal admission that he had contributed practically nothing to what had just happened

Jen lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him, her eyes dark, her skin flushed, her hair mussed. She looked heartbreakingly beautiful to him at that moment. She unwrapped a hand from his neck and fingered his cheek as she rested against him. His eyes slid closed as he held her – trying to find peace in the feel of her heartbeat against his chest.

She seemed to notice the tension still in him and shifted, pulling herself off him. She bit her bottom lip as her muscles protested, but she perched on the side of the bed, wrapping the sheet around her.

"It's alright Jethro" she said tenderly. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I won't be offended if you don't stay for dinner."

She stared intently at him. He felt her gaze but ignored it. He didn't want to have to explain. Words didn't come easily with him, and he had no idea where to start anyway.

Jen looked at him as he pulled his clothes on.

There was no denying the fact that she wanted him to stay, but she had seen the faraway look in his eyes as he held her close, the glazed expression that flickered over his face, followed swiftly by something startlingly similar to pain and regret when he thought she wasn't looking. And she was no fool; there was something he was battling with, something that was beyond her control to try to help him with.

"This woman I remind you of ... she's dead, isn't she?" she asked, suddenly - her small hand touching his face almost hesitantly when he stood in front of her waiting to leave.

Gibbs was taken aback by the question; found himself unable to answer. She seemed to take his silence as an assent and smiled sadly. Trailing her fingers down his cheek and along his jaw again, as if she couldn't get enough of the feel of the stubble beneath her fingers.

His hand closed over hers and squeezed slightly, but he said nothing.

"Is this your version of goodbye?" she asked as he looked down at her.

There was no accusation in her eyes - only understanding, a little hurt, and regret.

Gibbs cupped her face. He brought her face forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. A long, slow kiss.

"I'm sorry Jenny" was all he could bring himself to say.

* * *

_Please remember that lynching is illegal, so put your pitchforks down (especially you Aly!). Plus...if you kill us, we wont be able to update. _

_V and E_


	11. Chapter Ten

Gibbs nodded at Vance and SecNav and disappeared into the night.

It had been a stultifying dinner. Apart from the fact that it had taken the Secretary of the Navy's PA three months to find a free evening in his calendar, he just didn't deal well with people thanking him after they'd put spokes in his wheels. But he'd sat there and made all the appropriate noises – well aware that Vance expected it of him.

He looked at his watch, found it to be early still, and wasn't even vaguely surprised when his car drove itself out to Bethesda. It had a habit of doing that.

Gibbs looked up as a glass of bourbon found its way to the spot in front of him the moment he sat on a bar stool.

"Hey Jethro" the young barman asked.

Gibbs shrugged and tipped the drink down his throat. The barman knew him enough by now to recognise the look. He'd come to the conclusion a long time ago that the redhead from nine months ago had managed to get under his skin.

"She's not come in" he said.

Gibbs looked up.

"I come here for the service, Danny" he said as the latter filled up his glass again.

Danny raised a knowing eyebrow.

"So what's it been? Nine months?" he asked.

Gibbs shook his head dismissively; not wanting to talk about Jen, not wanting to remember the understanding in her eyes he had seen three months ago. He hadn't been able to shake the feeling that it had been more than he deserved.

"Danny…" he warned.

Danny held his hands up.

"Just thought you might want want a heads up that's all ..." he said, nodding in the direction of the door before smirking and turning away to another customer.

Gibbs swivelled his upper body, part of him hoping that Danny had been joking, the other half hoping that he hadn't.

He hadn't been.

It was her smile that he'd first seen on her. Wde and easy. Listening as one of her companions said something to her. She laughed and shook her head, before the smile faltered for a second as she took in her surroundings.

Melvin was standing next to her.

"Didn't think university professors needed a detail these days" Gibbs said as the man sat on the bar stool next to him a few moments later.

"I'm here as a friend" Melvin said, ordering a drink. "How are you, Gibbs?"

"How are you doing?" Gibbs asked instead.

"Getting there .." Melvin answered with a wry smile.

Gibbs nodded.

Danny placed Melvin's gin and tonic in front of him and peered into Gibbs' glass before refilling it.

The two men sat in silence for a moment.

"Harris is laying it on thick" Melvin said after a while - indicating the Commander in the mirror behind the bar.

Gibbs hadn't noticed him when they first walked in but he was sitting close to Jen and it was impossible to miss him now.

"I don't trust him" Melvin continued, not looking at Gibbs. Staring into the mirror at the hand on Jen's thigh instead. Knowing Gibbs was looking there too.

"You shouldn't" Gibbs replied.

Melvin looked curiously at him.

"Your gut telling you somethin'?" he asked.

Gibbs smiled a little but didn't expound.

"I'll keep an eye on him."

"I've no doubt." Gibbs replied, a smile gracing his features.

Melvin half turned to him, and a look Gibbs couldn't decipher ran across his face.

"Need to run something by you" Melvin said.

Gibbs waited.

"University."

"What about it?" Gibbs asked - surprise and confusion evident in his gaze.

"Dr. Shepard's trying to convince me to take a class at Georgetown" he said, sounding embarassed. "So's the wife, now that I'm not gallivanting around the globe. Her words" he clarified with a rueful grin, indicating the woman sitting to Jen's left.

Gibbs shrugged.

"I think men like us can't help what we do, Melvin."

He pulled out his wallet from his jacket and handed Melvin a card.

"Give me a call in the morning."

"NCIS hiring?" Melvin asked, staring at the business card in his hands.

Gibbs smiled.

"Wouldn't want all that experience to go to waste" he said simply. "Fill 'em up Danny" he said as he sensed the barman hovering.

Jen shuddered and pushed Commander Harris's hand from her thigh. It had been slowly creeping upwards since they'd sat down and he'd planted himself next to her.

She rolled her eyes at Melvin's wife, who smiled sympathetically.

"Where's Melvin?" Jen asked. "We need to order."

Julie's eyes ran over the bar - her eyes instantly seeking out and finding her husband. For a moment Jen felt a pang of jealousy over the ease and obvious fondness with which Julie gazed at Melvin. She glanced at the bar and felt her heart stop beating. A familiar head of silver hair sat next to Melvin. She was staring at the way his shoulders hunched over the glass when Julie touched her arm.

"Are you alright Jen?" she asked gently.

Jen dragged her eyes away from Gibbs and nodded.

"You look like you've seen a ghost" Julie continued.

Jen glanced at her for a moment.

"You could say tha - excuse me."

She stood from table, taking a deep breath before walking towards the bar.

Melvin nodded at Gibbs as she approached.

"See you soon."

"Countin' on it" was all Gibbs said – other words sticking in his throat as Jen slipped onto the stool that Melvin had vacated.

"Hello Jethro" she said simply.

Then she looked at the barman who had a smirk plastered all over his face.

"Should we skip the you haven't changed a bit bull?"

"Why start lying to each other now?" Danny joked with a laugh. "Whatcha havin'? The usual?"

"You remember what I drink. I'm flattered ..."

"Yeah ... well ... redheads make an impression on everyone round here" the barman replied, looking pointedly at Gibbs.

Gibbs buried his nose in his drink.

Jen swirled the amber liquid in her glass for a while and then looked over at his.

"Have some of mine" she said, pouring half of her drink into the remnants of his – echoing what he had done so many months before.

When he questioned her with his eyes she shrugged.

"Never drink on an empty stomach?" she proffered.

Gibbs smiled as he raised the glass to his lips.

The silence stretched between them until he heard what sounded like a groan. He looked into the mirror behind the bar in time to see Harris approaching.

"Jenny .." he said, his fingers rounding her left shoulder. "I took the libterty of ordering for you. Are you coming back to the table?"

He looked at Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs .."

"Harris ..."

"I'd ask you to join us but we're kinda tight on space."

Gibbs didn't fail to notice that although Jen shrugged fractionally the man's hand didn't leave her.

"Being in a tight space with you isn't the way I'd choose to spend an evening either" he said, taking a sip of his drink.

Harris looked at him for a moment.

"You coming, Jenny?" he asked.

"Heard you got taken off the Reagan" Gibbs said. "Ever get your money from Senorita Perellos?" Gibbs asked.

"Excuse me?" Harris said.

"You gonna deny it?"

"I was cleared in the investigation" Harris began.

"Of course you were ..." Gibbs said, smiling smugly as he took in the way Jen's eyes narrowed.

She'd put two and two together pretty fast, and this time the shrug was a lot more forceful.

Harris let his hand drop away.

"Do you file something like that under deception or hypocrisy?" she asked him.

"You're going to have to trust me" he began.

"I don't know you well enough to trust you."

Harris leaned forward and whispered into her ear.

"I've already told you, we can fix that"

Gibbs watched in partly-veiled amusement as Jen drew herself up on her barstool – her feathers well and truly ruffled.

"You can cut the charm. Higher-ranking, richer, and definitely better-looking men have tried that on me and didn't get very far. Now ... I suggest you get your eyes off of me and put them on your wife."

Harris stood there gaping for a second. Until Gibbs nudged him.

"I'd say you just got your marching orders."

The awkward moment had been mellowed by several glasses of bourbon.

"This is the last one. Make it last" Danny warned.

Jen laughed as she reached into her purse.

"Haven't we been in this situation before?" she asked both men.

Two sets of eyebrows rose as she slapped her car keys onto the counter.

"I promise I won't drive. Now give me another drink."

Danny smiled.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked as she watched him pour a double.

"Bah. Jethro will see no harm co-"

"You two are on first name basis? You know ... he didn't tell me his first name till we were ..."

"Male bonding" said Gibbs as Danny moved on to serve other patrons.

Jen looked into her glass, and then downed the contents.

Gibbs tried to gauge how well she was handling her liquor. She'd relaxed visibly the moment the rest of her party had left the bar. He put his hand over hers as she pushed her glass in Danny's direction again.

"Jen?"

There was concern in his tone.

"Dutch courage" she said as Danny refilled her glass warily.

Gibbs waited.

He didn't have to wait long because she covered his hand with another one of her own.

"I missed you Jethro" she said simply, not looking at him.

It came out of nowhere like a punch to the gut, and his instinctive reaction was to raise her hand to his lips. But her next words stopped him.

"And I'm sorry ..."

"Never say you're .."

"I'm sorry because I brought something out in you that I think you wanted to keep hidden."

She downed the fresh drink.

"And it's been horrible feeling that I've caused you pain just by being me."

He was a bit surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"You don't have to share it with me, but I just want you to know that it was never my inten- "

"I know" he said, stopping her.

"I called you a few times through the switchboard" she admitted.

"Shoulda called my cell."

"I wasn't sure how you'd feel about that."

"Shoulda called my cell" he repeated – letting his meaning sit in the air between them.

He didn't tell her how often he'd been tempted to call her up himself. How often he'd driven past her house. How often he'd come here hoping she'd be here too. But looking into her eyes he wondered if she knew.

"How have you been Jethro?" she asked, raising her hand to his cheek.

The impulse to press a kiss to her palm was too strong to resist now.

"Shoulda called my cell" was the only thing he could think of to say.

The moment was interrupted by Danny.

He rolled his eyes at them as leaned on his elbows over the counter.

"I think you two are a bit old for this kinda sap. The bar has a reputation to uphold. Get a room."

They looked at him.

"You'll thank me in the morning" he said with a wink – pouring them one last drink between them.

Jen reached for it but Gibbs pulled it away before her fingers could curl round the glass.

He drained it as she looked on, and suddenly she felt very self-conscious.

"I should ..." she said, standing from the stool.

"Easy .." Gibbs said, grabbing her by the elbow as she felt the effects of the alcohol.

"I never did get anything to eat" she said as the fact dawned on her.

"You feeling okay?" Gibbs asked.

"I'm fine. I think" she said. "It was good to see you again, Jethro."

"Lets go" he said, picking her car keys off the bar and pocketing them.

Jen nodded briefly, and smiled gratefully as she felt his support her by the elbow and guide her out of the bar.

The cool night air was welcome. She'd forgotten what a magnetic presence he had, and the alcohol hadn't lowered her inhibitions. It had rendered them non-existent.

"I'll take a taxi" she said.

And smiled when Gibbs shook his head.

"Not gonna happen" he said. "I'll see you home."

"Not a good idea."

"Why? You gonna be sick all over me?"

"No ..." she almost slurred. "I just can't promise to keep my hands to myself."

"I can live with that" he said.

But she missed what he'd said as she reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve her car keys.

"I'm not going to drive" she said. "But I need my .. I need my .. underwear?"

She cast him a incredulous look as her fingers collided with something soft and she drew a pair of panties from his pocket.

"Do you always carry my underwear in your pocket?"

Gibbs scrambled for a response.

"What do you do? Carry them around hoping to bump into me and return them?"

He could hear the laughter in her voice and it warmed his heart.

"Something like that" he said.

"Shoulda sent them in the mail" she said with a small laugh. "Are they always in your jacket? Because you can't seriously have only one."

Gibbs smiled.

"Nah. Had them in the glove compartment of my car for a while."

"I'll stop short of asking if you ever ..."

And then she clamped a hand over her mouth and suppressed laughter. The silence stretched between them for a while, and then she reached for his face again.

"I really did miss you, Jethro" she said gently.

Gibbs fingered a tress of red hair.

"You still sleep naked?" he asked.

"Is there an invitation in there somewhere?"

Gibbs smiled, his mind wandering back to the last time they'd had this conversation. Even if the roles had been reversed.

Jen broke into his reminiscing.

"Because if there is ..." said, taking him by the hand, "I know this cosy little place just around the corner."

**Authors' Note:**

That, as they say, is that. In a day or so we'll be putting up a llst of quotes and where they came from. We just didn't feel it would be appreciated if we kept you waiting any longer for the ending.

We are going lone wolf for one story after this. Verity is already writing and posting The X File, and Ellie will start on a new story of her own as soon as she finishes Jezebel.


End file.
